Strawberry plant named `San Miguel`

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of strawberry named `San Miguel`. The variety is similar in appearance to `Camarosa`. The variety is characterized from `Camarosa` by its medium plant vigor, medium green length to width ratio of the terminal leaflet, the inflorescence is positioned above the leaves, conical to almost cylindrical fruit shape, red skin color, and fruit flesh that is red and firm. `San Miguel` possesses unusually long pedicels.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new variety of strawberry was discovered as a seedling in acontrolled breeding plot in Ventura County, Calif., U.S.A., on or aboutFeb. 1992. The new variety originated as a result of a controlled crossbetween the strawberry plants named `Seascape` (U.S. Plant Pat. No.7,614) and the Driscoll Strawberry Associates, Inc. variety`K6`(unpatented) in an on-going breeding program. The original plant ofthis invention was asexually reproduced by stolons in a nursery inShasta County, Calif. Propagules were transplanted to a controlledbreeding plot in Ventura County, Calif. where the claimed `San Miguel`variety was identified and selected for further evaluation. Clones ofthe new variety were further asexually propagated and extensivelytested. This propagation and testing has demonstrated that thecombination of traits disclosed herein which characterize the newvariety were fixed and retained true to type through successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct strawberry variety.The varietal denomination of the new variety is `San Miguel`. Thevariety is botanically identified as Fragaria×ananassa. Among thecharacteristic which distinguish the new variety from other varieties ofwhich we are aware are a combination of traits which include plantvigor, leaf color, length to width ratio of the terminal leaflet,position of the inflorescence, flower size, length of pedicels, fruitshape, fruit skin color, and fruit flesh color and texture.

COMPARISON TO CLOSEST VARIETIES

The variety which we believe to be closest in geographic adaptation andseason of ripening to `San Miguel` from those known to us is `Camarosa`(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,708). There are several characteristics of thenew variety that are different from, or not possessed by `Camarosa`. Forexample, the plant vigor of `San Miguel` is medium, while that of`Camarosa` is strong to very strong as exhibited by `San Miguel's` lowerfrequency of crown branching and smaller plant size than `Camarosa`. Theleaf color of `San Miguel` is medium green, while that of `Camarosa` islight to medium green. The length to width ratio of the terminal leafletof `San Miguel` is broader than long to as broad as long, while that of`Camarosa` is longer than broad. The position of the inflorescencerelative to the leaves for `San Miguel` is above, while that of`Camarosa` is below. The flower size of `San Miguel` is medium to large,while that of `Camarosa` is small to medium. The fruit shape of `SanMiguel` ranges from conical to almost cylindrical, while that of`Camarosa` is cylindrical to wedge shaped. The skin color of `SanMiguel` is red, while that of `Camarosa` is dark red. The fruit flesh of`San Miguel` is red, while that of `Camarosa` is dark red. The fruitflesh of `San Miguel` is firm, while that of `Camarosa` is extremelyfirm. `San Miguel` possesses unusually long pedicels as illustrated inFIG. 1.

Regarding isozyme analysis, the phosphoglucoisomerase (PGI) isozymebanding pattern for `San Miguel` is A4 while that for `Camerosa` is A2.The leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) isozyme banding pattern for `SanMiguel` and `Camarosa` is B3. The phosphoglucomutase (PGM) isozymebanding pattern for `San Miguel` is C2 while that for `Camarosa` is C1.See J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 106:684 (1981).

                  TABLE 1                                                         ______________________________________                                        Isozyme Analysis for `San Miguel` and `Camarosa`                                         Cultivar                                                           Locus        `San Miguel`                                                                            `Camarosa`                                             ______________________________________                                        PGI          A4        A2                                                     LAP          B3        B3                                                     PGM          C2        C1                                                     ______________________________________                                         `Camarosa` isozyme data from U.S. Plant Patent # 8,708                   

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIONS

The accompanying photographs show typical specimens of the new variety,including fruit, foliage and flowers, in color as nearly true as it isreasonably possible to make in color illustrations of thesecharacteristics.

FIG. 1 shows the flower and reproductive organs of the new variety, aswell as the size and position of the petals and sepals and the undersideof the calyx.

FIG. 2 shows the upper surface of two typical folioles of the newvariety.

FIG. 3 shows the fruit in longitudinal section and cross section,illustrating the typical flesh and flesh coloration.

FIG. 4 shows typical whole fruit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed description of the new variety is based uponobservations taken of plants and fruit grown in experimental test plotsin Ventura County, Calif., U.S.A. This description is in accordance withUPOV terminology. Color designations, color descriptions, and otherphenotypical descriptions may deviate from the stated values anddescriptions depending upon variation in environmental, seasonal,climatic and cultural conditions. Colors are described using standardMunsell Notation.

Propagation

The new variety is principally propagated by way of stolons. Althoughpropagation by stolons is presently preferred, other known methods ofpropagating strawberry plants may be employed.

Characteristics of the New Variety

The following information is provided to describe the new variety.

Plant:

Habit.--Flat globose.

Density.--Medium.

Vigor.--Medium.

    ______________________________________                                        Average Dimensions -                                                                           `San Miguel`                                                                            `Camarosa`                                         ______________________________________                                        Plant height     16.8 cm   18.0 cm                                            Plant width      32.4 cm   34.3 cm                                            Average number of crowns                                                                       3.8       6.9                                                Day-length response                                                                            short day short day                                          ______________________________________                                         (Measurements were taken in Ventura County, California.)                 

Chilling requirement.--`San Miguel` has an optimal chilling requirementof 2 weeks which is slightly higer than that for `Camarosa` (0-10 days)or `Chandler` (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,262) but lower than `Seascape`(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,614) (4-6 weeks).

Propensity to form runners.--`San Miguel` will runner in the fruitingfield when given more than 4 weeks of chilling before transplanting.`San Miguel` has little tendency to form runners without chilling.

Foliage:

Leaf.--Color--upperside--medium green, 0.3G 2.2/4.1. Underside--lightgray green; no match of color on Munsell Color Cascade. Profile (angleof leaf where attached to petiole)--flat. Blistering--strong. Number ofleaflets--three only.

Terminal leaflet.--Profile--revolute to flat. Length to widthratio--broader than long to as long as broad. Shape of base--rounded.Shape of teeth--rounded. Margins--Average number of serrations--`SanMiguel` is 21.4; `Camarosa` is 17.4. `San Miguel` has an average of 4more serrations per terminal leaflet.

    ______________________________________                                                      `San Miguel`                                                                           `Camarosa`                                             ______________________________________                                        Average Dimensions -                                                          terminal leaflet width                                                                        6.0 cm     5.8 cm                                             terminal leaflet length                                                                       5.9 cm     6.2 cm                                             Petiole - Pubescence - sparse to medium. Pose of hairs - outwards.            Average petiole length -                                                                      15.4 cm    14.6 cm                                            Petiole Color - 5.3GY 5.2/9.7                                                                            5.4GY 6.0/11.0                                     Bracts -                                                                      Average bract length -                                                                        19 mm      NA                                                 Bract color -   2.9GY 2.3/3.6                                                                            NA                                                 ______________________________________                                    

Frequency of bracts.--bracts are present on approximately 30% ofpetioles. Angle of base of bracts--slightly oblique.

Stolons.--Number--many. Anthocyanin coloration--weak to medium.Thickness--thin to medium. Pubescence--sparse to medium.

    ______________________________________                                        Stipules -      `San Miguel`                                                                             `Camarosa`                                         ______________________________________                                        Average stipule length -                                                                      32 mm      28 mm                                              Stipule color - 5.4GY 6.9/12.6                                                                           5.6GY 7.6/13.6                                     ______________________________________                                    

Inflorescence.--Position relative to foliage--above. The height of theinflorescence above the foliage varies during the growing seasondepending on the plant height, but is consistently above the foliage.

Flower: The flowers described are secondary flowers except whereindicated.

Petal color.--White; white is not referenced in the Munsell ColorCascade.

Size.--Medium to large. Average diameter of primary and secondaryflowers for `San Miguel` is 35 mm and `Camarosa` is 31 mm. Averagediameter of the calyx of `San Miguel` is 41 mm and `Camarosa` is 43 mm.

Diameter of calyx relative to corolla.--(Primary flowers) larger;(secondary flowers) smaller to same size.

Diameter of inner calyx relative to outer (on secondary flowers).--Samesize.

Spacing of petals (on secondary flowers with 5 or 6petals).--Overlapping.

    ______________________________________                                                     `San Miguel`                                                                          `Camarosa`                                               ______________________________________                                        Petal                                                                         Average length 16 mm     12 mm                                                Average width  17 mm     12 mm                                                Petal Length/  0.95      1.00                                                 width ratio                                                                   Sepal                                                                         Average length 20 mm     17 mm                                                Average width  11 mm      9 mm                                                Sepal-Length/  1.80      1.92                                                 width ratio                                                                   Petal length to width ratio (on secondary flowers) -                          as long as broad.                                                             Fruiting truss - Attitude at first picking - prostrate.                       Length - same as pedicel; long.                                               Pedicel -                                                                     Average length 26.6 mm   20.3 mm                                              ______________________________________                                    

Fruit (secondary fruit on one year old plants): All fruitcharacteristics are similar between primary and secondary fruit, unlessspecified.

Ratio of length to maximum width.--As long as broad.

    ______________________________________                                                       `San Miquel`                                                                          `Camarosa`                                             ______________________________________                                        Primary fruit-Length/                                                                          1.13      1.24                                               width ratio                                                                   Secondary fruit -                                                                              1.05      1.26                                               Length/width ratio                                                            Size - Primary fruit- very large; secondary fruit- large.                     Primary fruit length -                                                                         55 mm     54 mm                                              Primary fruit width -                                                                          49 mm     43 mm                                              Secondary fruit length -                                                                       44 mm     42 mm                                              Secondary fruit width -                                                                        42 mm     33 mm                                              ______________________________________                                    

Predominant shape.--Conical to almost cylindrical.

Difference in shapes between primary and secondary fruits.--Moderate.

Band without achenes.--Primary fruit-medium; secondary fruit--narrow tomedium.

Achene coloration.--Achene coloration varies on strawberry fruitaccording to how much light the individual achenes are exposed. Achenesexposed to light typically have more anthocyanin pigmentation.

    ______________________________________                                                    `San Miguel`                                                                            `Camarosa`                                              ______________________________________                                        Achene coloration                                                                           8.7R 2.1/6.0                                                                              6.8R 2.6/9.4                                        (sunward side)                                                                Achene coloration                                                                           9.1YR 7.36/15.7                                                                           1.4Y 7.4/15.2                                       (shade side)                                                                  ______________________________________                                    

Unevenness of surface.--(Primary fruit) medium; (secondary fruit) weak.

Skin color.--Red (6.6R 2.9/9.7).

Evenness of color.--Even.

Glossiness.--Medium to strong.

Insertion of achenes.--Below surface.

Insertion of calyx.--Set above fruit.

Pose of the calyx segments.--Reflexed.

Size of calyx in relation to fruit diameter.--(primary fruit) same sizeto larger; (secondary fruit) smaller to same size.

Adherence of calyx (when ripe for fresh market).--strong.

Firmness of flesh (when fully ripe).--Firm. The fruit of `San Miguel` isfirm-melting when bitten as compared to `Camarosa` which is crunchy whenbitten.

Color of flesh.--Medium red (6.9R 4.1/16.1).

Evenness of color of flesh.--Slightly uneven to even.

Sweetness.--Medium to strong.

Texture when tasted.--Medium.

Acidity.--Medium.

Time of flowering (50% at first flower).--Early.

Harvest maturity (50% of plants with ripe fruit).--Early.

Type of bearing.--partially everbearing. Partially everbearing varietiesare short-day varieties that will continue to re-flower and fruit undercool conditions, such as those that occur in Coastal California. Thesevarieties stop flowering under warm conditions. A variety is determinedto be partially everbearing by observing the flowering characteristicsof the plant in cool conditions and looking for vigorous re-flowering.

Season of Harvest.--The season of harvest for `San Miguel` in VenturaCounty, Calif. typically is approximately from the second week ofJanuary to the second week of May. `San Miguel` starts productionapproximately 2 to 3 weeks later than `Camarosa`. Harvestproduction.--In a side by side comparison, the marketable yield for `SanMiguel` was 608 g/plant and `Camarosa` was 539 g/plant. `San Miguel`produced 13% more marketable fruit than `Camarosa`.

Resistance to Stress

The new variety is moderately resistant to high pH and high soil saltlevels.

Disease Resistance and Susceptibility

The `San Miguel` variety is moderately susceptible to Xanthomonasfragariae. `San Miguel` is moderately resistant to Powdery mildew, leafspots (Ramularia tulasnei), leaf blight (Phomopsis obscurans),Strawberry mottle virus, and Zythia fragariae. `San Miguel` fruit ismoderately susceptible to decay by Botrytis fruit rot.

The `San Miguel` variety is moderately susceptible to injury by thetwo-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae). `San Miguel` issusceptible to Tarsonemus pallidus, Aphis spp., and lygusbug (Lygushesperus).

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of strawberry plant,substantially as shown and described.